Our Story

Our farm is nestled in the heart of the charming South Pennines, surrounded by ancient woodland, dry-stone walls, rivers and dramatic moorland. Situated in the grounds of an old 19th Century brewery, our location is steeped in history.

We are committed to ethical and sustainable farming practices. We rear our Yorkshire-born Rainbow Trout using a unique process. Our trout are raised in pure rainwater pools and fed organic feed, free from harmful chemicals and antibiotics. We take pride in using no insecticides, no pesticides, and generating no waste.

Our farm is home to a variety of crops, including herbs, salads, vegetables, and tomatoes, which grow alongside our trout in perfect harmony. We focus on cultivating great tasting food using the nutrients from our trout ponds, rather than large crop yields.

We know that happy trout make for happy customers. Our artisan smokehouse is custom-built and uses locally sourced wood chips. We cure our trout using exciting blends and recipes and we process by hand on-site, using only the finest ingredients, many of which we grow on the farm.

We are constantly striving to innovate and improve. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by using renewable energy to power our farm. We take pride in sourcing our ingredients, equipment, and expertise locally, and we believe that supporting our local community is an essential part of our mission.

We were so excited and proud to hear that we'd been nominated and shortlisted by so many customers and industry professionals for the prestigious BBC Food & Farming Awards in 2024.

Our Farming

At The Burnt Hill Herb Company, we're dedicated to sustainable farming practices that support the health of our planet and provide delicious, healthy food for our customers.
We’re passionate about ethical farming practices. We take pride in growing delicious herbs, vegetables, and smoked trout with love and care for the planet.
Our farming methods are simple and natural, as we don't use any fertilizers, pesticides, or antibiotics. We treat our trout with love and respect by keeping stocking densities in our ponds low and using only fingerlings from a hatchery in Yorkshire.
We're also committed to reducing our carbon footprint, and use water recirculation to cut water usage by up to 90%. Our aquaponics system creates a balanced ecosystem which provides a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between our trout and plants. Our plants grow quicker than traditional farming methods.
To ensure our fish are healthy and thriving, we only use organic feed in our fish ponds. And to further reduce our environmental impact, we've installed solar panels that help power our farm, reducing our carbon footprint even further.

Our Values

Doing the right thing

We believe in using ethical and environmentally responsible farming practices that prioritise the health of the planet, our customers and employees. Our dedication to using natural and sustainable farming methods while avoiding harmful chemicals and fertilisers reflects our value of doing the right thing. We know that our choices have an impact on the environment and we strive to make responsible choices in everything we do. We acknowledge we have a role to play in creating a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone.

In harmony with nature


We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and environmental stewardship. We believe passionately in the importance of adopting a circular economy model that minimises waste. Our use of water recirculating allows us to reduce our water use by up to 90%. Using solar panels to generate energy further underlines our value of working in harmony with nature.

Being transparent and trustworthy

We are committed to transparency and are happy to meet with customers and explain our farming methods. We believe that by being open and honest with our customers, we can build trust and create a better understanding of the importance of sustainable farming practices.

Raising standards

Our emphasis is on creating a positive and healthy work environment for our employees. We believe our team is our greatest asset, and we are committed to creating a supportive work environment where everyone is respected equitably. We believe that our success as a company is directly linked to the well-being and satisfaction of our employees. We prioritise health and safety in our working practices.

Our Produce

We’re all about growing food that tastes better.

Our trout is slow-grown and raised with lots of love and care. We let them follow their natural feeding cycles, and we take the time to make sure they're happy and healthy. We're proud to say that our trout are free from harmful chemicals and antibiotics. They’re fed using organic feed. Nothing else goes into their ponds.

Our artisan smokehouse is where the magic happens. We use traditional methods to smoke our trout, and our expert team hand-slices each piece with precision.

Our herbs, salads, vegetables, and tomatoes are grown exclusively for their unique and exceptional flavours, rather than excess yields or accelerated growth cycles. They grow alongside our trout ponds, and they're fertilised using nutrient-rich water from the trout ponds, creating delicious produce.

We believe in keeping things simple. That’s why we use short delivery routes, avoid blast chilling and maintain short supply chains. Our aim is to deliver our great tasting food fresh from our farm straight to your plate with the lowest possible carbon footprint.

In early 2024 we were awarded a Bursary membership of the "GuiId of Fine Food" and later that year we saw the arrival of some prestigious "GREAT TASTE" awards for us, including a coveted "2 Star" award for our Traditional-Cure Cold Smoked Trout. This has increased our presence in the luxury fine food marketplace and has further encouraged our team to continue striving to create the highest quality products possible.

The Team

Founder

Jon Allen

I started The Burnt Hill Herb Co. because I believe that we are all responsible for making more sustainable choices about where our food comes from. I wanted to show that it is possible to grow incredible food without harming the environment. My passions lie with beyond-organic, incredibly high-Welfare produce treated with the utmost respect, and I work with zero waste ethics at the forefront.
We are constantly looking at how we can use pioneering food and farming technology to do better, from powering our farm through renewable energy to compostable and recyclable packaging and sourcing materials, ingredients and expertise locally.

This approach is central to every decision we make and underpins our ethos of transparency. That’s why we offer regular farm tours and tasting events, allowing our customers to see for themselves where their food is coming from and building a genuine farm to plate connection.

If you would like to learn more, or come and visit to see our commitment in action, please get in touch through the contact page.

 I look forward to seeing you on the farm.

Farm operations assistant

Xenia Cheli

Originally from Republic of Moldova and now living in Yorkshire, I’ve always enjoyed gardening and growing vegetables in my garden. In my Grandparent’s village, every autumn, I would help harvest and conserve the vegetables and herbs they had grown for the winter. I’d never considered working on a farm before but when I heard of the opportunity to join the company, I was really excited to give it a try!

I started working for “The Burnt Hill Herb Co. in 2022. Since then, I’ve been trained to take care of our beautiful rainbow trout and prepare them for smoking. I also assist with the day to day running of the aquaponics farm system, including sowing, harvesting, and general maintenance.

Aside from working with food growing tasks, I also contribute to the articles on our social media accounts and prepare content and tasting menus for our tours.

"Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and baking, so having access to fresh ingredients & associated knowledge at the farm is perfect for me! I also love learning more about British food culture and exploring our Yorkshire villages. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone that visits the farm. Make sure to say hello when you do!"